Four additional zones using the Navy’s water system, including two Aliamanu Military Reservation zones and the Moanalua, Halsey and Radford terraces, have been declared safe to use by the state Department of Health today.

Six of the 19 zones in the Navy’s water system are now awaiting clearance. The areas declared safe today are labeled Zones F1, F2, H2, and H3, which together comprise nearly 2,800 homes.

Zone F1 includes Moanalua Terrace, the Navy Exchange Mall, Moanalua Shopping Center, Pearl Harbor Elementary School and Kamaaina Kids Moanalua Preschool.

Zone F2 includes Catlin Park, Maloelap, Doris Miller, Halsey Terrace and Radford Terrace. It also includes Catlin School Age Care and Peltier Child Development Center.

More than 600 AMR residences in Zones H2 and H3 have been declared to have safe drinking water today. All three AMR zones now have access to safe drinking water.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome home our Aliamanu Military Reservation residents,” said Maj. Gen. Joe Ryan, commanding general, 25th Infantry Division and Task Force Ohana, in a statement. “For over three months, it’s been our mission, along with the members of the Interagency Drinking Water System Team, to return our families to their homes with safe and clean drinking water. We recognize this has been a challenging time for our families, and we appreciate their fortitude and understanding. Looking ahead, we will implement a long-term monitoring plan that includes routine testing of homes to ensure our residents continue to have clean and safe drinking water.”

The DOH issued a “do not drink” advisory in late November after fuel from the Navy’s Red Hill fuel facility contaminated its drinking water system, which serves Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and surrounding neighborhoods. Since then the Navy has been cleaning the water, which has been sampled by the Interagency Drinking Water System Team. The IDWST consists of state and federal representatives from the DOH, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Navy and Army.

One sample from an outdoor sink at a Zone F1 school tested above the DOH’s Incident Specific Parameter for beryllium, the department reported. The fixture was flushed and sampled again, and afterward all sampled homes and buildings met the beryllium screening level of four parts per billion.

Similarly, a home in Zone F2 tested above the DOH’s screening level for total petroleum hydrocarbons, which include hundreds of chemical compounds that come from crude oil. The home’s water was flushed and sampled again, and subsequently all sampled homes and buildings met the TPH screening level.

An independent, third-party laboratory had initially reported the presence of bis(2-chloroethyl)ether, or BCEE, in samples in Zones F2, H2 and H3, although the laboratory and the IDWST later determined that the BCEE results were a false-positive.

The IDWST’s joint plan is to draw samples from more than 900, or 10%, of the homes in the Navy’s water system and 100% of its schools and child development centers.

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Originally Appeared Here

DOH News Release: DOH declares Navy drinking water distribution system Zones F1, F2, H2 & H3 safe

Posted on Mar 11, 2022 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

WHAT:                                Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) Declares Drinking Water Distribution System Recovery Plan Zones F1, F2, H2, and H3 Safe; Health Advisory Amended; Residents Allowed to Drink Tap Water

WHERE:                            Zone F1, NEX, Moanalua Terrace

Click here to view the completed checklist that supports DOH’s health advisory amendment for Zone F1.

Zone F2, Catlin Park, Maloelap, Dorris Miller, Halsey Terrace, Radford Terrace

Click here to view the completed checklist that supports DOH’s health advisory amendment for Zone F2.

Zone H2, Aliamanu Military Reservation

Click here to view the completed checklist that supports DOH’s health advisory amendment for Zone H2.

Zone H3, Aliamanu Military Reservation

Click here to view the completed checklist that supports DOH’s health advisory amendment for Zone H3.

Click here for an updated map on zone status.

WHEN:                               March 11, 2022

BACKGROUND:           All Navy water system users in Zones F1, F2, H2, and H3 may now use water for all purposes including drinking, cooking, and oral hygiene. This includes consumption by pets.

The Navy water system’s source water is coming from the Navy’s Waiawa Shaft. The Waiawa Shaft water has been tested to verify that it is safe to drink. The Navy’s Red Hill Shaft, which is contaminated, has been disconnected from the water system.

DOH and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) subject matter experts completed a final review of all sample data and how the Navy water system maintains operations to ensure safe drinking water.

DOH and EPA oversaw months of work to provide individuals and families in Zones F1, F2, H2, and H3 with assurance of safe drinking water. This included overseeing flushing operations to confirm that the Navy followed flushing and testing protocol to verify that contamination was removed from the drinking water system.

One sample collected from an outdoor sink at a school in Zone F1 initially tested above the DOH Incident Specific Parameter for beryllium. The fixture was re-flushed and re-sampled. Subsequently, all sampled homes and buildings meet DOH’s beryllium screening level of four parts per billion.

Samples collected from one home in Zone F2 initially tested above the TPH screening level set by DOH. The home was re-flushed and re-tested. Subsequently, all sampled homes and buildings meet DOH’s TPH screening level.

An independent, third-party laboratory incorrectly reported the presence of bis(2-chloroethyl)ether (BCEE) in samples in Zones F2, H2, and H3. The Interagency Drinking Water System Team (IDWST) investigation determined, in agreement with the laboratory, that the initial BCEE results were a false-positive. As members of the IDWST, EPA and DOH concur with this conclusion. The IDWST resampled all locations where BCEE was initially detected. The laboratory reviewed the original samples and the new samples and did not detect BCEE in any of them.

The IDWST’s joint plan to draw samples from more than 900, or at least 10% of homes, and 100% of schools and child development centers on the overall Navy water system provides accurate data in determining that the water in all homes and buildings is safe. Additional homes and buildings will be sampled as part of a long-term monitoring plan.

The decision to amend the health advisory and declare the water in Zones F1, F2, H2, and H3 safe was made after DOH’s multiple lines of evidence confirmed that no contamination is entering the Navy water system and no contamination remains in Zones F1, F2, H2, and H3. DOH’s investigation showed:

Reported sources of contamination are contained

• The Navy’s Red Hill Shaft is physically disconnected from the Navy water system.

Source water from the Waiawa Shaft is safe to drink

• Sample results show the water meets State and Federal regulations and project screening levels of the incident specific parameters.

No additional contamination is occurring in the water system

• A Cross Connection Control investigation shows the distribution system is protected, resulting in no additional sources of contamination.

Water within the distribution system is safe to drink

• The completion of the zone flushing plan implementation demonstrates the entire zone is flushed.
• Sample results show the water in the distribution system meets State and Federal regulations and project screening levels of the incident specific parameters.
• Drinking water does not show sheen, olfactory evidence, or other qualitative methods of petroleum.

Water in homes/building plumbing is safe to drink

• The Flushing Plan includes procedures to ensure no service connections will re-contaminate the distribution system.
• Samples were collected from homes and buildings three days after flushing. This stagnation period was built in to detect possible leaching of contaminants from pipes or other plumbing.
• Sample results show water in premise plumbing of homes/buildings meet State and Federal regulations and project screening levels of the incident specific parameters.

If Navy water system users have a question or concern about the quality of their water, please contact DOH at [email protected] or 808-586-4258.

RESOURCES:           Click here for a full list of DOH’s screening criteria.

Click here to view validated testing results.

Click here for a one pager on how to read laboratory results.

Click here to view the full data package for Zone F1 that led DOH to issue this amendment.

Click here to view the full data package for Zone F2 that led DOH to issue this amendment.

Click here to view the full data package for Zone H2 that led DOH to issue this amendment.

Click here to view the full data package for Zone H3 that led DOH to issue this amendment.

 

# # #

 

 

Media Contact:

Katie Arita-Chang

Acting Communications Director

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (808) 286-4806

 

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Originally Appeared Here

The advisory affects approximately 500 customers of the McKinney Water District

LINCOLN COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – A Boil Water Advisory was issued Friday at 3:11 p.m. for approximately 500 customers of the McKinney Water District in Lincoln County.

Water district officials say the advisory affects customers who live from Old Petrey Store on 698 to the intersection of 198, and from Short Pike on 198 to the intersection of 698.

The area includes Short Pike, Highway 518, Norris Road, Highway 127, Old Liberty Loop, Moccasin Road, Sims Road, Happy Hollow, Tombs Hollow, Highway 1778, Brown Hollow, Ruhe Brown Road and all side roads leading from the above mentioned roads, according to district water officials.

The advisory is in effect until further notice.

Affected customers should boil all tap water to be used for cooking, drinking and making ice for at least three minutes.

Water officials did not release the reason for the advisory.

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Originally Appeared Here

While on an outdoor adventure, water, food, shelter and fire are essentials. Soldiers might find themselves in difficult situations where water is scarce. Besides, adding two pounds of water to their pack may not be the best option with all the gear we carry, because it does run out. In training we’re used to wait for resupplies. Once, while stationed in Djibouti, we went days without water due some logistical error. Regardless we adapted and overcame by rationing water. It actually turned out to be good training for water conservation … but it sucked so hard.

The US Army often finds it difficult to hydrate its soldiers when deployed in arid areas such as the Middle East and Africa. For almost two decades of mission in these areas, the soldiers have always survived with bottled water, local wells and purification units. 

A Sustainer water purification specialist with the 20th Quartermaster Company, collects water samples for testing. (DVIDS)

Bottled water, although the safest, is costly, therefore, might be unavailable when Army resources are depleted in a real world scenario. On the other hand, local wells and purification units are hard to find and are sometimes too salty to consume. Warm climatic conditions increase the need for water in the body because it constantly needs to cool down. This implies that soldiers deployed in arid areas need more water supply, which is a burden for constantly moving troops. Besides, US troops are usually compelled to help residents of arid areas; therefore, they might share the little water they have — tactically wrong but morally correct.

While on a real world campaign, soldiers can drink several types of water. River water is the main source and the most abundant. Although most rivers have slightly salty water, they are normally fresh, therefore one of the best options. In the ancient periods, troops would set camp in areas near large freshwater sources to satisfy the needs of the thousands of soldiers. Moreover, water from rivers proved suitable for other uses like cleaning clothes and bathing whenever necessary. The soldiers would avoid drinking from stagnant water sources because they could easily be contaminated. Moving water was the safest in preventing infectious waterborne diseases.

(Photo by Spc. Agustín Montañez, PRNG-PAO/Released)

Additionally, natural springs are a good but rare source of water. In some areas, rainwater accumulates in rocks under the soil to form a leak emanating from the surface as a spring or puddle. If the water force is strong enough, it will form a small stream from which people drink. Spring water is the safest and most nutritious as it sometimes contains minerals such as calcium, magnesium and manganese, which are essential for strong immune. The vital minerals present in spring water give a reputation for healthy drinking. Some water companies fetch spring water, remove impurities, bottle it, and brand it as mineral water. For soldiers, this is a plus because they might not get such minerals from other water sources.

Soldiers can benefit from artesian water from aquifers located deep in the earth when deployed in rocky areas. Such water contains fluoride and sodium bicarbonate that are good for strong, healthy teeth and bones. While most artesian water has varied tastes and minerals, they are sure to provide the right electrolytes needed to curb dehydration. On rare occasions, the soldiers might be dispatched to areas that experience extremely low temperatures during winter. In such circumstances, they might benefit from glacial water that sometimes has the same properties as spring water. Often, water from glaciers is clean, non-toxic and might contain essential minerals. 

Distilled water is also a great option, although it might take a lot of time to prepare. If there is enough time to distill, soldiers can improvise and use kettles to purify water. The beauty of water distillation is that it removes the weird tastes and kills germ-causing bacteria. However, with distilled water, it might be impossible to acquire essential minerals that boost the immune system. According to Katherine Marengo LDN, R.D., Nutrition, distilled water can pull in minerals from other sources within the body, potentially dehydrating you more.

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Originally Appeared Here

DDC Rajouri Stresses On Providing Clean Drinking Water To The Public

11 March, 2022, By Cross Town News

RAJOURI, MARCH 11: District Development Commissioner Rajouri, Vikas Kundal today chaired a meeting to review the status of the water supply schemes and general water supply scenario in the district.

Addressing the officers in the meeting, the DDC stressed on providing clean drinking water to the public and emphasized on following a regular schedule for supplying water to the general public so that they don’t face any inconvenience.

He also asked to make the provision of buffer stock of the motors at key installations to ensure uninterrupted water supply to the general public.

The Executive Engineer Mechanical of Jal Shakti department was asked to submit a proposal for establishing a new Mechanical workshop at Rajouri.

The DDC also asked for taking effective measures to redress the public issues concerning drinking water in a time bound manner to mitigate their sufferings

 

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Originally Appeared Here

KATHMANDU, MARCH 10

The Government of Japan has decided to extend grant assistance of approximately Rs 2.7 billion to the Government of Nepal for implementation of the Project for the Improvement of Water Supply in Biratnagar.

Ambassador of Japan to Nepal Kikuta Yutaka and Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Madhu Kumar Marasini signed notes to this effect today. Another Grant Agreement for implementing the project was signed by Chief Representative of JICA Nepal Okubo Akimitsu and Joint-secretary at the International Economic Cooperation and Coordination Division of the Ministry of Finance Ishwori Prasad Aryal.

According to a press release issued by the Japanese Embassy, this project aims to enhance the living standard of people of Biratnagar city by renovating and expanding water supply facilities, thereby broadening the water supply in Biratnagar.

At present, people in Biratnagar have to depend on shallow wells for water as they have been affected by shortage of safe drinking water. This project will contribute to improving “access to stable supply of water” for about 100,000 people by constructing new deep wells and water purification facilities.

Some of the existing facilities will also be renovated.

Ambassador Kikuta said, “The Government of Japan has been providing multifaceted assistance for the betterment of the living standard of Nepalis”.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan extended multiple support, including timely vaccine support to prevent and control COVID-19. Likewise, Japan extended financial support for economic stabilisation and development of post COV- ID-19 condition in Nepal in January. He stated, “This time, our assistance is providing safe water, which is of vital importance for human life.”

He expressed hope that this support would be effectively utilised to upgrade the living standard of the people in Biratnagar city.

A version of this article appears in the print on March 11, 2022, of The Himalayan Times

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Originally Appeared Here

One year into the making, Defiance’s water treatment plant may only be days away from firing up a new system that should provide significant improvements to water quality.

The granulated activated carbon system has been under construction since early last year and is nearing completion. The eight, large carbon-filled tanks that will filter the city’s drinking water are housed in their own separate building constructed in recent months and are ready to go.

According to the water plant’s superintendent, Adam McDowell, the system may be going online as early as next week.

“We plan to start up next week,” he said earlier this week. “There’s a good chance on at least a partial basis.”

McDowell is referring to what he calls a “blended flow,” in which the majority — perhaps 70-90% of the water will be run through the carbon filtration tanks.

“The majority of water will be running through it,” he explained.

The reason it won’t yet be 100% is not all the equipment has arrived. Supply-chain issues are to blame for the late arrival of variable frequency drives for the pumps, according to McDowell.

“It’s going to be incomplete,” he said. “We’re going to be running some of the plant through the GAC, but not all of it. We have no way to control the speed of the pumps that will push it through due to supply-chain issues.

“This project has been extremely frustrating,” McDowell added. “All in all I think that we’ve done well compared to others. That supply chain issue is worsening, it’s not getting better. We’re going to make it through this project, and I think we’re going to have a good finished project. I’m sure glad that we’re not starting it (the project) now.”

The contractor for the $9 million project is Peterson Construction Co., Wapakoneta. Related debt service will be repaid over many years, but city customers’ rates aren’t expected to spike because of it.

The project’s main purpose is removing impurities such as trihalomethanes (THMs) which are deemed by EPA to be dangerous to some portions of the population. But it will remove organics generally, which could eliminate occasional problems with taste and odor.

“Historically, everyone over promises and under delivers,” he said, noting with any “taste and odor problems” the system “removes a lot of organic matter. Will the average person see a difference in their water? I don’t know, but seasonal taste (issues) especially should come out.”

The organics removal should ensure that algae-related taste and odor problems should be resolved.

The experiences of the City Celina — whose water supply is algae-plagued Grand Lake St. Marys — serve as a guide. It too has utilized a GAC system.

The system does not rely on chemicals, just a carbon treatment process.

“The nice thing about GAC is you’re not adding another chemical,” he said.

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Originally Appeared Here

The CDC found the levels of five PFAS in residents’ blood were higher than national levels, but still met the EPA’s 2016 Health Advisory for PFAS.

AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. — Following 2019 assessments on the impact of contaminated water in Airway Heights, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) announced Thursday that the tap water in Airway Heights is safe to consume.

The CDC and ATSDR collected samples of blood and urine from a group of Airway Heights residents in 2019. Through the assessment, they found the levels of five per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in residents’ blood were higher than national levels, but still met the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2016 Health Advisory for PFAS.

According to the report, levels of some PFAS in the blood of Airway Heights residents were up to 56 times higher than national levels. The report also found long-time residents had more PFAS in their blood, and that for every year they’d lived in Airway Heights, their levels got higher. That included children who were breastfed or given formula made with tap water.

According to the report, the elevated level of PFAS could be linked to past contamination of the drinking water in Airway Heights, which was caused by chemicals found in fire extinguishing foam and other materials. 

Read the full report here:

These chemicals entered the water after Fairchild Air Force Base (FAFB) used aqueous film-forming foam containing PFAS for firefighting training in 2017. The compounds then seeped into groundwater and moved into municipal and private drinking water wells, according to the city of Airway heights.

Since that time, Airway Heights has been purchasing water from the City of Spokane.

In February 2022, the City of Airway Heights accepted $500,000 from the Washington State Office of Drinking Water to replace the city’s water system. The money will be used to “perform preconstruction activities for the replacement water source including preliminary design and engineering.”

Following these recommendations from the CDC and ATSDR, Airway Heights residents are invited to attend a virtual information session on March 23 at 6 p.m. to learn more about the PFAS exposure assessment and to ask experts questions. Registration can be completed here.

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Originally Appeared Here

Walker County Water and Sewerage Authority (WCWSA) will receive $20 million to improve access to clean drinking water in unserved and underserved rural communities. Georgia’s Water and Sewer Infrastructure committee selected WCWSA’s proposal as one of 116 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant projects. The state gave priority to applications with broad community impact and local government support.

WCWSA will install new water mains to distribute reliable and safe drinking water throughout much of Walker County. The project also calls for the construction of additional storage tanks throughout WCWSA’s distribution network, a new water treatment plant and additional infrastructure to redirect sewer.

The ARPA grant will result in the extension of 82,346 linear feet of water main infrastructure throughout the county. Crews will install water mains along Glass Mill Road, Old Bethel Road to Highway 341, from the Coke Ovens wellfield to Mountain View storage tanks, Tatum Road up Lookout Mountain, and from the Georgia/Alabama state line at Flarity Road to Highway 157 and the Girl Scout’s Camp Adahi.

“50,000 Walker County residents will directly benefit from these water service enhancements,” said Chairman Shannon Whitfield, Walker County Board of Commissioners. “Adding these water main extensions will effectively loop our system and the new water treatment plant will allow us to filter up to 12 million gallons per day to serve existing and future WCWSA customers.”

The total estimated cost of all of the water and sewer service improvements is $45,490,000. The ARPA grant received by WCWSA will fund 44% ($20,000,000) of the project costs. Walker County Government will invest $5,000,000 in matching funds with local ARPA dollars, while WCWSA will be responsible for the remaining $20,490,000.

“I’m grateful to our legislative delegation, especially Senator Jeff Mullis, along with Governor Kemp and his team, and numerous other state partners for recognizing the importance of these projects,” added Whitfield, who also serves as WCWSA chair. “We now have the resources to make improvements to our infrastructure that will last for the next 50 years.”

“I would like to thank Gov. Kemp and our elected officials for their continued dedication to improving the lives of northwest Georgians,” said Sen. Mullis. “A healthy water and sewer infrastructure is crucial for improving the standard of living and general prosperity in our region. These funds will be a tremendous catalyst for growth.”

Rep. Mike Cameron said, “This significant investment from the State of Georgia will be a driver of economic development and improve the lives of hard working Georgians. I want to thank the Governor and our local officials for their tremendous work. I look forward to seeing these infrastructure projects enhance northwest Georgia communities.”

“Water and sewer infrastructure is the backbone of economic growth,” said Spencer Hogg, Project Manager, Northwest Georgia Joint Development Authority. “The $20,000,000 investment from the State of Georgia will have an unprecedented impact on the ability to attract new prospects and help current projects expand. We are thankful for Gov. Kemp and the Walker County Commissioners for their leadership.”

Design work is already underway on many of the planned water and sewer projects in Walker County, with a target completion date in the fourth quarter of 2024.

WCWSA is the largest of the nine water service providers in Walker County.

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A view of the Chesapeake Bay in Calvert County. Environmental groups released a new report this week analyzing Maryland’s water pollution enforcement efforts over the past 20 years. Photo by Danielle E. Gaines.

Maryland’s enforcement of water pollution laws has declined over the last two decades, but especially in the last few years, according to a new report.

Environmental groups found that the Maryland Department of the Environment took 422 water pollution enforcement actions between 2016 and 2021 under Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R), which was significantly lower than the 1,280 enforcement actions between 2010 and 2015, during the administration of Gov. Martin J. O’Malley (D).

In the past year alone, MDE took 55% fewer water pollution enforcement actions than the historical average over the last 20 years, according to the report by the Chesapeake Accountability Project, a coalition of environmental groups. The coalition reviewed the Department of the Environment’s annual enforcement and compliance reports from 2001 to 2021 “to provide a historical perspective of [water pollution] enforcement in Maryland,” said Katlyn Schmitt, a policy analyst for the Center for Progressive Reform.

But the decrease in enforcement actions does not mean that there are fewer pollution violations, and water quality in the Chesapeake Bay remains a concern, the group said.

The environmental groups focused on actions made by the Water and Science Administration within MDE, which is responsible for regulating stormwater from industrial facilities such as processing plants and landfills, from which harmful chemicals can flow into local waterways after it rains. Enforcement action can include penalty fines and referral to the Attorney General for potential litigation.

Although MDE noted a total of 15,827 enforcement actions in its 2021 annual compliance and enforcement report, almost 15,000 of those actions came from the lead poisoning prevention program.

MDE also completed 40% fewer in-person site inspections from 2016 to 2021 when compared with the number of inspections conducted between 2010 and 2015, according to the Chesapeake Accountability Project. However, the ability for MDE to do in-person inspections may have been limited by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Between 2017 and 2020, the department inspected 1,305 facilities that were deemed not compliant with their stormwater permits and nearly half were repeat offenders, according to the report findings. But the state only took 14 formal enforcement actions against industrial facilities in those three years.

“We think that MDE and the Water and Science administration can do better in creating a culture of consequences for those who violate clean water laws,” Schmitt said. “Some of that depends on the political will and mission of the agency and we’ve seen that fluctuate overtime.”

More enforcement action encourages polluters to follow the state’s water pollution laws, similar to how enforcing speed limits encourage more people to drive safely, said Courtney Bernhardt of the Environmental Integrity Project.

Environmentalists claim that the downward enforcement trend accelerated more dramatically during the Hogan administration. But the report also shows that MDE issued more “compliance assistance” for water violation polluters now than during the years when O’Malley was governor.

Compliance assistance is a type of enforcement action in which the Department of Environment notifies a facility for a minor violation and requires the facility to submit documentation that shows they have taken steps needed to come back to compliance with their permit. But Schmitt said this process not have enough teeth.

In recent years, MDE also collected more penalties on average than the gubernatorial administrations of Robert L. Ehrlich (R) and Parris N. Glendening (D). During the Hogan administration, the Department of the Environment collected an average of $945,000 in penalties between 2016 and 2021. That figure was $740,000 and $643,000 under Ehrlich and Glendening, respectively, adjusted for inflation. O’Malley’s administration had the highest annual average at $1.6 million, according to the report.

The report also showed downward trends in the number of site inspections and compliance assistance issued by MDE under the last four gubernatorial administrations overall. The state conducted an average of 8,000 inspections in the early 2000s, which slowly dipped throughout each administration to an average of 3,000 inspections under Hogan’s administration.

Doug Myers, a scientist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, said the downward trend under both Democratic and Republican leadership may be an indication that neither made enforcement a priority and that there may be “philosophical issues within the Department [of the Environment.]”

These findings come after recent critiques of MDE’s spotty oversight of permits, including a poultry-rendering plant in Dorchester County that has reportedly discharged pollutants into the Chesapeake Bay since 2019 and a recent sewage spill in St. Mary’s County that led to two dozen people falling sick after they ate contaminated oysters.

Maryland Department of the Environment spokesman Jay Apperson said in an email that any “objective reporting of MDE’s enforcement record” would also include the steps it took to stop water and waste pollution from the Verso Corp. paper mill, the Morgantown coal-fired power plant (which will retire this year) and Baltimore sewage backups and wastewater treatment plant violations.

“The Department will continue to take aggressive enforcement actions and seek stiff penalties, when warranted, in order to hold polluters accountable. MDE is committed to changing Maryland for the better by protecting and restoring the environment while providing businesses and communities with clear expectations and consequences for failure to follow the law,” he wrote.

But Schmitt claimed that MDE only took steps after citizen groups highlighted issues and “filled the void where the Water and Science Administration lacks in terms of enforcement and inspection activities.”

Environmental advocates also said the Department of the Environment no longer has the budget and staff it once did to enforce all of the state’s pollution regulations. Funding for MDE makes up 0.018% of the state’s total general budget, which is half of what it was two decades ago after adjusting for inflation, according to Eliza Steinmeier of the Chesapeake Legal Alliance.

There are also staffing declines within the department: MDE had more than 1,000 employees in 2002 but has only around 880 now, which Steinmeier attributed to a lack of competitive positions within the department.

“We also recognize that MDE needs more resources to truly create a culture of compliance that is necessary to protect our state,” Steinmeier said.

State lawmakers are currently considering a bill that would allow MDE to seek more administrative and civil penalties on private corporations, individuals or municipalities that violate safe drinking water regulations, wastewater facility pollution permits, tidal wetlands restrictions and dam safety regulations.

Administrative penalties are typically less serious and provide quicker relief than civil penalties — which are adjudicated in court.

Another measure introduced in the legislature would limit how long the Department of the Environment can allow facilities to operate under “zombie permits,” which refers to the period after a permit expires and before a new one is issued. Maryland is currently facing a backlog of more than 200 zombie permits.

Maryland and surrounding Bay states collectively agreed in 2010 to reach pollution limits set by the Environmental Protection Agency by 2025, commonly known as the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint. Advocates argue that the state’s decline in water pollution enforcement actions undermines the Bay cleanup targets. In 2020, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science graded the Bay’s health at a “C.”

“If we fail to address this issue, it will only make it more difficult for the state to meet the requirements of the Chesapeake Bay cleanup. We can’t fix pollution problems that aren’t being identified due to lack of inspections and enforcement by MDE,” Myers said.

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Originally Appeared Here